NHL on TSN

NHL on TSN (formerly called Molson NHL Tonight on TSN or The NHL Tonight on TSN) is TSN's broadcast of NHL games. The show's current incarnation debuted in 2002.

Its coverage includes national broadcasts of NHL games during the regular season on several nights per week, regional coverage of the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets along with coverage of select series during the first, second, and third rounds of the playoffs.

TSN's coverage of NHL games is not limited to its own broadcasts as sister network TSN2 also frequently shows coverage of games televised by the NBC Sports Network.

TSN's NHL coverage will end nationally at the end of the 2013–14 NHL season after which Rogers Communications will gain exclusive rights to national NHL television broadcasts for the subsequent twelve years.

Coverage Overview

TSN usually televises three or four games per week during the regular season, with their primary night being Wednesdays, when they enjoy exclusive coverage.

This means that no other NHL game may be broadcast in Canada in English while TSN's Wednesday Night Hockey is on the air.

During the playoffs, TSN has third, fifth, seventh, and eighth choices of first-round series, second and fourth in the second round and second in the Conference Finals.

This means that there is the possibility of TSN covering a Canadian team during the playoffs.

This happened during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as TSN televised the Calgary Flames' first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks which they lost in 6 games and in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals in seven games.

TSN owned the national cable rights to NHL games in Canada from 1987–88 through 1997–98, after which CTV Sportsnet purchased the national cable rights to NHL games.

Prior to this, TSN's NHL coverage was sparse as they only acquired games a la carte.

From 1987-1988 to 1997-1998, they usually showed games twice per week through the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs, they provided extensive coverage of series not involving Canadian-based teams.

The 1986 Canadian coverage of the NHL All-Star Game was to be provided by CTV. However, CTV had a prior commitment to carry a U.S. mini-series and as a result, TSN took over coverage of the game in Hartford.

Regional Broadcasts

Toronto Maple Leafs

TSN began airing Toronto Maple Leafs games regionally (presented by Molson) in the 1998-1999 season when they lost the national contract.

The package was originally for 30 games, but it was reduced to 17 once TSN re-acquired the national rights in 2002.

Ten of those games were ones that TSN acquired from the NHL to air nationally.

The other seven, TSN acquired from the Maple Leafs as regional games, however, TSN eventually came to an agreement with the other five Canadian clubs to air these games nationally.

Play by play of the regional Leafs games was handled by Joe Bowen and Harry Neale.

The deal expired at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season and since the 2007-08 season, every Maple Leafs game on TSN has been shown nationally and covered by the regular NHL on TSN crew.

Beginning in the 2015 season, owing to Bell Canada's ownership stake in the Leafs' owner, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, TSN's coverage will expand to 26 "regional" games. It is presumed that they will continue to air nationally.

Montreal Canadiens on TSN

TSN is the exclusive regional English-language broadcaster for Montreal Canadiens games.

During the 2010-2011 season, TSN aired 24 Canadiens games to viewers in Quebec, Atlantic Canada and parts of Eastern Ontario (including Ottawa, Belleville, Kingston and Pembroke) on a TSN alternate feed.

The network will regionally broadcast 30 Canadiens games during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons.

Dave Randorf and Dave Reid are the broadcast team for TSN's Canadiens regional broadcasts.

Occasionally other NHL on TSN broadcasters would substitute in on these broadcasts if one of either Reid or Randorf were working other things. TSN previously broadcast regional Canadiens games from 1998 to 2002.

Gord Miller (2001-2002) was the lead play-by-play announcer and Pierre McGuire (2000 to 2002) was the lead "Ice Level Reporter".

Winnipeg Jets on TSN

On July 21, 2011, it was announced that TSN has picked up the rights to telecast games of the Winnipeg Jets.

The agreement between the Jets and TSN is for 10 years and also gives radio rights to CFRW.

TSN Jets will broadcast more than 60 regional regular season and pre-season games to fans in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and parts of Northwestern Ontario.

The channel launched on September 20, 2011 for the Jets' first pre-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Dennis Beyak (play-by-play), Brian Engblom (colour commentator), and Sara Orlesky (reporter) are the announcers for TSN's regional Jets broadcasts.

On-Air Staff

If Ray Ferraro or Mike Johnson are not doing colour commentary, they may appear as well.

Gord Miller, and Chris Cuthbert do play-by-play for the live games while Ray Ferraro serve as color commentators, and Pierre McGuire serve as "Ice Level Reporter".

Darren Dutchyshen or Jennifer Hedger prvide updates of other games in progress.

Former Staff

The studio hosts were Jim Van Horne (1987 to 1990) and later John Wells (1989 to 1995) and Gord Miller (1995 to 1998) with Bob McKenzie providing studio analysis.

Primary play-by-play broadcasters were Jim Hughson (1987 to 1994) and Paul Romanuk (1994 to 1997–1998).

Colour commentators were Roger Neilson (1987 to 1989) and Gary Green (1987 to 1998).

Howie Meeker was also often part of the game-night crew, providing highlights and analysis with the telestrator.

When TSN re-acquired the Canadian national cable rights to NHL hockey in 2002, Pierre McGuire was hired as its lead "Ice Level Reporter".

After the 2011 NHL Draft, it was announced Pierre McGuire had taken a full-time position as a reporter for the NHL on NBC, effective as of the 2011-2012 season and remained lead "Ice Level Reporter" with TSN.

Despite the new deal, Pierre will still appear on TSN's hockey programs and TSN Radio.

Other broadcasters used by TSN include play-by-play announcers Dan Shulman (1994-1998), Pierre Houde (1996-97), Dennis Beyak (1997-1998, 2011-present) and Vic Rauter (2002-2003) and colour commentators Ryan Walter (1993-1998), Randy Gregg (1994-1995) and Glenn Healy (2003–2008).

Theme Song

In June of 2008, TSN's parent, CTV Inc. acquired the rights to "The Hockey Theme" after the CBC failed to renew its rights to the theme song.

A re-orchestrated version of the tune (which has been the theme song of "Hockey Night in Canada" for 40 years) will be used for hockey broadcasts on TSN and RDS beginning in the fall of 2008.

TSN announced on the September 24, 2008 edition of "SportsCentre" the debut date for the song.

It began on October 14, 2008 when the Colorado Avalanche visited the Calgary Flames.